In this 1 Minute Writing tip, we look at when to use colons in lists. Do you always need a colon? Would a comma do instead? When should you use one over the other. Let’s get into it. So, you want to start a list with a colon. Sounds easy, don’t it? Many writers assume […]

Looking for headline writing tips that will capture attention immediately and force readers to stop in their tracks? Who doesn’t? What exactly are headlines? What purpose do they serve? Headlines are the ‘ad’ for what’s about to follow. Its purpose is to tease the reader into clicking or reading more. If your headline fails, no one […]

Summary: Understand the difference between business requirements and business rules before you start defining the business process. This Klariti tutorial will explain how to write business requirements and how, and where, to include business rules in your process and workflow designs. Business Rules vs. Business Requirements One area where many graduates and business analysts get […]

I had planned to call this article ‘The Nine-Step Strategy for Writing Summaries That Intrigue Readers’ but had a second look. It’s a bit long. And as this article is about writing headlines, summaries and abstracts, well… Let’s stick to the plan.

Summary: One typo can ruin your credibility. Ensure that every business and technical document you write is fact checked, proofed for errors, and reviewed for clarity, accuracy, and comprehension. This Klariti tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to review your documents. It identifies what you need to do before you start the actual proofing, strategies to […]

Know when to use the active and passive voice in your business or technical documents? Maybe? Let’s look at voice for a minute. What does it mean to write in the active voice? Is the passive voice as *bad* as people say it is? Obviously not. The voice tells us whether the subject of the […]

My friend PM wants to go into freelance writing. I think it can work for him. He’s determined, has a nice writing style, and knows how to hustle for work. But typing is a problem. It’s that simple. He pecks and pecks at the keyboard. Last weekend, his house he showed me some gizmos, ‘hacks’, […]

My wee brain is very slow to start in the mornings. Typing is not easy. Neither is thinking. Video – Daily Writing Routine Warm Up Writing Exercises So, how do you start to write first thing in the morning. Here’s a few ways: Decide on a specific target, say 100 words. Identify the topic the […]

Summary: Writer’s Block is a result of poor planning and feeling overwhelmed as a result. Here’s how to overcome writer’s block and ensure your success in exams. If you find yourself struggling to write your term paper, prepare a report, or some other writing assignment, the following might help. Here’s the problem. When we think […]

Do you consider yourself a web writer or a blogger? Is there even any difference? I suspect for most people it means that same thing, but I’m not so sure. I asked a blogger here in Dublin if he saw himself as a writer who blogs, a writer, or a web writer? Or was I […]

First, think of the response you want from the reader. Second, put the most important point at the start. Third, highlight one thing only. The problem with most subject lines in emails is that they’re written either: As a placeholder, something to put in while you write the actual email After the email is written […]

If you’re reading this, you’re probably thinking… made. Why do I say this? Because if you are a ‘born writer’, and have written from a very early age as most do, you’d feel that most writers are born, not made. You either have it or you don’t. But it this true? I hate to say it […]

Should you use Shall or Will when writing business requirements? Or something else? For example, some business analyst friends prefer to use Must. Others insist that Shall is the international standard, so we should stick with it. Download this Business Requirements template Download Now for only $9.99 Learn more about this template Business Analysts use […]

Know the difference between affect and effect? Or where to use that but not which? Or when to use which but not with a comma before it? I know. MS Word forbids it. But can expect from a bot? Anyway… You could fill several multi-story car parks with people who — or is it that? […]

Noreen Malone, senior editor at New York magazine, admits what everyone else thinks about those pesky em-dashes. “The problem with the dash—as you may have noticed!—is that it discourages truly efficient writing. It also—and this might be its worst sin—disrupts the flow of a sentence. Don’t you find it annoying—and you can tell me if […]